For first time, Surf City readies for sea-level rise

The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve would be wiped out during a 100-year flood if sea levels rise as predicted, according to mapping by the Pacific Institute.FILE PHOTO: ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Helping at home

Here are some things you can do at home to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions you are producing.

Solar: Consider installing panels on your roof. The city uses one-third of the electricity it used to for City Hall, and solar accounts for about half the energy that powers the library, officials say. Mayor Connie Boardman said even with the initial investment, using solar reduces energy costs.

Conservation: Turning off lights and unplugging electronics when not in use are the simplest ways to reduce emissions at home.

Replacement: Swap out old electronics for newer ones. Older model refrigerators are one of the biggest culprits for gobbling energy in the home. Replace old models with an energy-efficient brand.

Greenhouse gas culprits

Here's a look at the most common producers of greenhouse gas emissions.

Electricity production: This makes up about 33 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. More than 70 percent of the nation's energy comes from burning fossil fuels.

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Huntington Beach, for the first time, is working on a plan to protect residents and businesses if climate change over the next century results in a rise in sea levels.

The City Council recently voted to apply for a $115,000 grant from the California Ocean Protection Council to pay for an assessment of the city's vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

Other coastal cities, including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and San Clemente, are looking at their risk factors and studying how to prepare for sea level changes.

Scientists have cautioned that rising sea levels over the next 100 years may consume city coastlines, cause billions in infrastructure damage and displace hundreds of thousands of residents in California, including Huntington Beach, according to a 2009 report by the Pacific Institute. Greenhouse gas emissions are believed to contribute to the climate change that could cause the sea to rise.

The report says Orange County is one of the most at-risk areas in the state for damage from rising sea levels, with an estimated 110,000 residents affected and a projected $17 billion in infrastructure damage if oceans rise the predicted 4.5 feet over the next century and storm surges occur.

In Huntington Beach today, much of the city's coastline would be affected by a 100-year flood, which is what scientists call a flood that has a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year.

With the projected sea level rise, the chance for one of these types of floods is greater and the damage it would cause more extensive, experts say.

Pacific Institute mapping shows the Bolsa Chica wetlands would be wiped out, the AES power plant flooded and close to half of the city would experience flooding to some extent.

"This (study) is something we should've done awhile ago," Councilman Joe Shaw said at the July 15 City Council meeting, when the council voted to apply for the grant. "Sea level rise is going to be one of the most challenging things we're going to face in the next 50 to 100 years and we need to at least lay the groundwork for what we can do about it."

"We have several areas in the city below sea level – behind the Bolsa Chica wetlands, Sunset Beach and areas in southeast Huntington Beach," she said. "... There may be others."

Boardman, a biology professor, said countering rising sea levels might include measures such as analyzing and updating the city's storm pumps or looking into whether erecting seawalls could work, though because of seawalls' impacts on coastlines, she said, they may not be supported by the California Coastal Commission.

"We're in the very beginning stages," she said. "The good news is we, hopefully, have decades to work on this if it starts now."

The city will have to work with various state agencies, including the Coastal Commission, as it drafts its study.

The city's plan is expected to cost about $215,000. The grant would cover more than half of that cost, the city would pay $50,000 and city staff will apply for a second grant in August to cover the remaining $50,000.

Related Links

The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve would be wiped out during a 100-year flood if sea levels rise as predicted, according to mapping by the Pacific Institute. FILE PHOTO: ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sunset Beach is one of the areas Mayor Connie Boardroom noted are below sea level and might need help. FILE PHOTO: ROD VEAL, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A view of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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